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KEY 



BACHELDERS ISOMETRICAL DRAWING 



GETTYSBURG BATTLE-FIELD, 



BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE BATTLE. 



Imagine yourself in a balloon, two miles east of the 
town of Gettysburg, Pa. Looking towards the west, yon 
trace the Baltimore Pike, which crosses Rock Creek, and 
the rolling land. beyond, until it leads you past the Ceme- 
tery on the ridge, and descends to the village ; into which 
converge ten different roads, as the spokes of a wheel run 
to a common centre. At your right, yon look down upon 
the wooded summit of Wolf Hill, on which our right 
flank rested; Culp's Hill is farther on, while still farther 
to the right are Benner's and Hospital Hills, which were 
occupied by the enemy. In your front is Cemetery 
Ridge, running nearly through the picture. Its course 
is south, descending gradually until it is nearly lose ; then, 
rising aoruptly, it terminates in the rocky wooded hill 
known as "Round Top." This, virtually, formed our 
left. A bold granite spur, making out on its north side, 
has been called "Little Round Top." I have given it 
the name of " Weed's Hill," in honor of General Weed, 
who fell mortally wounded in its defence. Nearly paral- 
lel with Cemetery Ridge, and about a mile beyond, is 



2 KEY TO THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG. 

another less elevated, known as Seminary Eidge ; from 
the theological seminary located on it, about half a mile 
beyond the town. On this were formed the enemy's 
lines. 

These are the leading features of the landscape. Be- 
yond are a series of ridges, until you see in the distance 
South Mountain, a spur of the Blue Eidge. The terri- 
tory represented is five and a half miles long by four and 
a half broad, covering twenty-five square miles, though 
the mountain ridge is some nine or ten miles away. The 
brilliant affair of General Gregg's Cavalry, in his attack 
and defeat of Wade Hampton, was two miles to the right, 
without the limits of this drawing ; while much of Kil- 
patrick's important movements on our left, on the 3d of 
July, in which he turned the enemy's right, and attacked 
him in flank, costing the life of the gallant General 
Farnsworth, can only be shown by crowding the posi- 
tions. The troops of both armies are represented by 
different characters for each day ; and by giving attention 
to the key for corps badges on the drawing, it will be easy 
to tell the brigade, division, and corps which any regi- 
ment was in. Where regiments are represented several 
times their name is not always given, though by noticing 
the brigade they may be found elsewhere. Where they 
remained two days in the same position, the two-day 
characters are laid down. The positions about the Ceme- 
tery have been shown with difficulty, as the troops were 
crowded, and the ground they occupied descending from 
you, it is difficult to represent them. It was, however, 
occupied entirely by the Eleventh Corps troops, General 
Steinwehr's Division lying there during the battle. 

The battle lasted for three days, commencing on Wed- 
nesday, July 1, 1863. The first day's engagement was 
west and north of the town, our left resting on the Millers- 



KEY TO THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG. 3 

town road, while our right was gradually prolonged to 
Rock Creek, on the Harrisburg road. On the 2d, our 
centre rested at the Cemetery, the line extending across 
the valley on the right to Culp's Hill, down its eastern 
slope, across Spangler's meadow, and resting on Rock 
Creek, while batteries were placed on McAllister's and 
Powers's Hills. The left wing, commencing at the Ceme- 
tery, extended down the ridge, and in front of it to 
Round Top. On the 3d, the lines were substantially the 
same, except the advanced positions of the left wing, 
which had been forced back to the ridge the evening be- 
fore, and a crotchet was formed from the left in the rear 
of Round Top. 

THE BATTLE. 

General Buford's Cavalry entered and passed through 
the quiet village of Gettysburg, on the evening of June 
30th, and encamped half a mile beyond, throwing their 
pickets well to the front. These were attacked and 
driven in the next morning by the advance of Hill's 
Corps. At 10 o'clock, the First Corps began to arrive, 
on the Emmitsburg road, commanded by General Rey- 
nolds, who had galloped to the front to reconnoitre the 
position, and returned and met them at Cadori's house. 
From there they turned to the left, crossed the fields, and 
went into position on the right and left of the Chambers- 
burg Pike. The enemy's infantry were just advancing 
upon Calef's battery, and came immediately in collision 
with Wadsworth's Division, which had led the van. 
Neither body of troops knew of the presence of the other. 
General Archer was surprised, and, with several hundred 
of his men, was captured by Meredith's Brigade. Cut- 
ler's Brigade also captured two Mississippi regiments 



4 KEY TO THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG. 

from Davis's Brigade. General Keynolds was killed near 
the commencement of the action, and the command de- 
volved upon General Doubleday. General Howard, 
commanding Eleventh Corps, who had now arrived, as- 
sumed command of both, the First and the Eleventh. 
The enemy were re-enforced by Rhodes's Division, who 
came under cover of Seminary Ridge, above Cobean's 
house. Their advance, General Iverson's Brigade, at- 
tacked Robinson's Divison, but, with the exception of 
one regiment, were captured. As the Eleventh Corps 
came up, Weidrick's battery were put in position on 
Cemetery Hill, supported by Steinwehr's Division. Gen- 
eral Schurz commanded the Corps. His Division, com- 
manded by General Schimmelpfennig, followed by Bar- 
low's Division, moved through the town, forming on the 
right and rear of the First Corps, witli which, however, 
a communication was not made. They were soon at- 
tacked by Early's Division, who had come in from 
York, and by Dole's Brigade. General Barlow was 
severely wounded, and left on the field. General Paul, 
of the First Corps, was shot through the head, and then 
supposed to be mortally wounded. After six hours of 
hard fighting, and being outnumbered three to one, Gene- 
ral Howard ordered a retreat to Cemetery Hill. The 
Corps Artillery re-formed north of the town. General 
Steinwehr ordered Custar's Brigade down to the right of 
the town, while Buford's Cavalry moved to the left, to 
cover the retreat. Great numbers of artillery wagons, 
ambulances, and caissons obstructed the streets ; the men 
became confused, and numbers were captured, including 
most of our wounded. 

General Meade, who was at Taneytown, on hearing of 
the death of Reynolds, dispatched General Hancock to 
the front, to assume command. Accompanied by Gene- 



KEY* TO THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG. 5 

ral Warren, then Chief of Engineers, he arrived on 
Cemetery Hill as our troops were coming through the 
town. The Division which Howard had already placed 
here in reserve, formed a nucleus ; other troops were suc- 
cessively added as they came up, and in a short time 
G-eneral Hancock, assisted by Howard, Warren, Buford, 
and others, had re-formed the lines. The First Corps was 
divided, and thrown to the right and left of the Elev- 
enth, who occupied the Cemetery. General Slocum, 
with the Twelfth, came up, and formed on Culp's Hill, 
on the right of the First, prolonging the strong line of 
breastworks commenced by them. The Third Corps, 
General Sickles, arrived that night, and lay on Cemetery 
Eidge. The first day's engagement closed a complete 
success for the enemy. General Ewell, chief in command, 
was urged by General Trimble and others to continue 
the attack that night, while his army was flushed with 
victory. This he hesitated to do before the arrival of 
General Lee, and the golden moment was lost. 

General Meade arrived at one A. m. on the 2d, and 
approved of the position selected, and the disposition of 
the troops. The Second Corps, General Gibbon, arrived 
at 7 a. m., and were placed on the left of the First Corps ; 
the Third taking distance to the left, and eventually 
advancing to the Emmitsburg road. The Fifth Corps, 
General Sykes, came up at noon, halted an hour at Eock 
Creek, and then moved to the left of the line. The 
Sixth, General Sedgwick, arrived an hour later, after a 
forced march of thirty-four miles in twenty hours, and 
were massed on the Taneytown road, near Eound Top. 
The enemy's troops continued to come up. Johnson's 
Division moved through the town on Wednesday eve- 
ning, to Hospital Hill, where they lay until the next 
night, except Walker's Brigade, which went to Wolf Hill. 



6 KEY TO THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG. 

Early's Division held the town, except Smith's Brigade 
(extra Billy), who were thrown out on the Hanover road. 
Heth's Division fell back to the woods near Harmon's 
house, where they remained in reserve on the 2d. Pen- 
der, Anderson, and McLaw's Divisions formed succes- 
sively on Seminary Ridge. Hood's Division arrived 
just before the engagement commenced on Thursday, and 
formed on their right, extending down to nearly opposite 
Bound Top. General Meade selected his position and 
assumed the defensive, well knowing that while " he 
could afford to wait," his adversary must fight. 

Except slight skirmishes, all was quiet until about 
four o'clock P. M. The Third Corps had been advanced 
to the Emmitsburg road, stretching down through the 
Peach Orchard, Wheatfield, and woods to the Devil's Den, 
in the ravine in front of Round Top. This long line was 
found to be too weak, and Barnes's Division of the Fifth 
Corps, and Caldwell's of the Second Corps, and eventually 
Ayers Division of Regulars, were sent to strengthen it. 
The attack was commenced on Ward's Brigade, on the 
left, by Hood's Division, and soon extended along the 
line. It was kept up with great fury, and with varied 
success, until nearly dark, when our troops were forced 
back to the original lines on the Ridge, where the enemy 
were repulsed by our artillery, and Colonel McCandless's 
Brigade of Pennsylvania Reserves. The latter, under 
the lead of General Crawford, forcing the enemy back to 
the Wheatfield, which they held for the night. Re-en- 
forcements from the First, Second, and Twelfth Corps 
hastened to their support, and the tide of success was 
stayed. General Sickles was wounded early in the action, 
and borne from the field, General Birney assuming com- 
mand. General Zook, Colonels Vincent, Willard, and 
Cross, commanding brigades, were killed. It had been 



KEY TO THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBUEG. 7 

comparatively quiet at the centre and on the right. At 
dark, however, General Hayes, with his Louisiana Tigers, 
left town, and, uniting with Hoke's Brigade, advanced to 
a desperate charge upon our batteries on Cemetery Hill. 
Barlow's Division, commanded by General Ames, were 
in position to support them, and, though nearly deci- 
mated from the losses of the previous day, checked their 
advance ; not, however, until a few succeeded in getting 
among the guns, which were stoutly defended by the 
gunners with their handspikes and rammers. Carroll's 
Brigade and other re-enforcements soon arrived, and quiet 
was restored. General Slocum, commanding the right 
wing, ordered General Williams, commanding the Twelfth 
Corps, to move to the support of the left when they were 
hard pressed, at sundown, leaving only Green's Brigade 
to hold the works. He had hardly gone when Johnson's 
Division, who had lain quietly on Hospital Hill since 
the previous night, advanced for a night attack; but, 
though outnumbered four to one, the veteran Green held 
his ground, and, by prolonging his line, used every 
expedient which thought could devise or courage exe- 
cute to hold the works of the troops who had just left. 
They fought in the darkness by the flashes of the mus- 
ketry. The enemy soon discovering that the right of our 
works was unoccupied, advanced, entered, and held them 
until driven out the next morning. Thus closed the 
second day. We had lost a half mile of ground on our 
left, though with no signal advantage to the enemy; we 
had only fallen back to a stronger position. The assault 
on our right centre had been repulsed. On the right a 
temporary advantage had been gained, which must be 
wrested from him, as our rear was seriously threatened. 
Long before daylight on the 3d, batteries were put in 
position on Powers's Hill, and in the fields near Spangle's 



8 KEY TO THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG. 

house, commanding this portion of our works, which 
opened at daybreak, and for an hour shelled them in the 
most vigorous manner. Our infantry then advanced, 
and for four hours maintained one of the most continu- 
ous and uninterrupted fires of musketry of the battle, 
which resulted in regaining the position. The enemy, 
fully alive to the importance of what they had gained 
on the previous evening, and determined to hold it, 
brought up Walker, Smith, and Daniel's Brigades as re- 
enforcements. But it was unavailing. For several hours 
the combatants now seemed to rest on their arms, if we 
may except the usual fusilade of the pickets, and Gregg's 
affair, before mentioned, on our extreme right ; but each 
seemed gathering himself up for the outburst which it 
was felt must soon come. At one o'clock the enemy, 
having planted his artillery on the most commanding 
positions, from Benner's Hill, on the right, to Seminary 
Ridge, opposite Round Top, opened one of the most 
terrible cannonades ever experienced on this continent. 
Though partially replied to, our cannoneers generally 
withheld their fire for a shorter range, while the infantry 
did not require much caution from their officers to " lie 
low" in the slight breastworks which they had con- 
structed. At the end of an hour and a half, the enemy 
advanced to the attack ; and it was found that our left 
centre, one of the weakest portions of our line, would be 
the point assailed. Three long lines of infantry, and in 
places so doubled as to give the appearance of columns, 
advanced from the cover of the ridges and woods which 
they had formed. Their right was covered by Wilcox and 
Perry's Brigades, their left by McGowan and Thomas's. 
They were received by our artillery with round shot, 
spherical case, and canister, in succession ; still they 
marched desperately on. The withering fire of our mus- 



KEY. TO THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG. 9 

ketiy, as they came within range, checked their advance, 
except Pickets' Division, who came up to our very 
works; and with General Armstead at their head, a 
few of their men actually entered them, near the bunch 
of trees on General "Webb's front ; but few, if any, re- 
turned. The troops on Webb's left rapidly changed front 
to the right, and, closing en masse, rushed upon the head- 
strong foe. Then commenced one of the most desperate 
hand to hand encounters of the battle. The bayonet 
and clubbed musket were freely used ; colors were en- 
twined, and men writhed and strove together in mortal 
combat. Troops were hurried to their support. The 
First Corps closed up ; the Third moved to the right 
and closed en masse. General Stannard, whose brigade 
was at the front, moved it by the right flank, changed 
front forward on first company, and with his Green 
Mountain boys opened a murderous fire upon their 
exposed flank. The effect was resistless. The ground 
lay thickly covered with killed and wounded ; hundreds, 
thousands, threw down their arms ; while the broken, 
shattered mass sought refuge behind the hills from 
which they had emerged. Turning to the left, Wilcox's 
column, seemingly without an object, came winding its 
way down the opposite field. They were quickly routed 
by McGilvary's Brigade of Reserve Artillery, and large 
numbers were swooped up by Stannard's troops. 

Thus terminated one of the most determined and for- 
midable assaults of modern days ; a more decided repulse 
or inglorious defeat could not have befallen their arms ; 
and with it virtually ended the battle, though the affair 
of Kilpatrick, before mentioned, closed at a later hour. 
The enemy's loss in numbers was very severe, while the 
casualties among officers of both armies was unprece- 
dented. On the Union side, Generals Hancock, Gibbon, 



10 KEY TO THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG. 

Webb, and Stannard were wounded; on our enemy s, 
Generals Armstead and Garnet were killed ; Generals 
Kemper, Pettigrew, Trimble, and Colonel Frye, com- 
manding Archer's Brigade, were wounded, all within 
fifteen minutes' time, and within a hundred and fifty 
yards of a common centre. 

Skirmishing continued during the next day, though 
the beaten foe at once commenced his retreat, moving on 
the Fairfield and Chambersburg roads. 

Thus ended one of the great battles of modern days. 
On the issue hinged the destiny of a nation. I have only 
glanced at its leading features. Numerous brilliant 
episodes in the history of regiments, and hundreds of 
instances of personal bravery, present themselves in the 
great mass of manuscript material, which I have gathered 
during the past year of toil, of which I have been unable 
to speak, but which, at some future time, may be com- 
piled and published as a supplementary key to my pic- 
ture. 

Jno. B. Bachelder, 

125 Washington street, Boston. 
59 Beekiaan street, New York. 



